Compound of silicon and hydrogen.



UNITED STATES PATENT, Opin on.

CHARLES E. JACOBS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMPERE ELECTROCHEMICAL COMPANY, OF AMPERE, NEW JERSEY.

COMPOUND OF SILICON AND HYDROGEN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 656,354, dated August 21, 1900.

Application filed January 12, 1900. Serial No. 1,180. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, CHARLES B. JACOBS, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have discovered a certain new and useful Compound of Silicon and Hydrogen, of which the following is a specification.

This discovery relates to a new chemical product consisting of silicon and hydrogen combined in equal molecular proportions, according to the formula Si H and which, by analogy to the corresponding carbon compound, I term silico-acetylene.

The above-named compound results from the treatment of calcium silicide with dilute acids, particularly with hydrochloric acid, according to the following equation:

Strontium silicide also yields it, but in smaller quantity and in a state of finer division than calcium silicide. The equation for the strontium compound is similar to that for calcium. Silico-acetylene is a yellow crystalline compound having the formula Si H and therefore bears the same relation to silico-methane (SiH as acetylene (C H bears to methane, (011 hence the name above applied to it.

Heated in air this compound Si H oxidizes rapidly, giving 2SiO +H O, and when heated ina closed tube it breaks down into amorphous silicon and free hydrogen.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- The compound consisting of silicon and hy drogen, combined in equal molecular proportions, the same being a yellow crystalline non-explosive compound, insoluble in water and in acids, and soluble in caustic alkali solutions.

CHARLES B. JACOBS. Witnesses:

J. GREEN, A. P. KNIGHT. 

